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Learn With Deb
Meanwhile, below are two pre-launch "teaser" online classes at a reduced rate of $20 per person per workshop.
(Price goes up to $35 January 6, 2027)
Jump in now and be part of the Founding Group!
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Most of us write songs about ourselves. Fair enough...we're riveting. But what happens when you climb out of your own point of view and into somebody else's?
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In this class, we ditch the mirror and build a whole person from scratch, starting with nothing but a photo of an everyday object. Whose is it? What were they doing with it? What's the story buried underneath that nobody's saying out loud? Turns out, putting words in a stranger's mouth is one of the sneakiest ways to finally say what you actually mean.
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Grounded in the character-building techniques of playwright and teacher Corey-Jan Albert, this workshop is part detective work, part character study, and a surprisingly sly way to smuggle your own deepest, most subconscious material into a song via someone else's voice.​
You know your songs cold. You've rehearsed until your fingers bled. So why does the whole thing fall apart the second you open your mouth between songs?
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This class is about everything on a stage that isn't the song itself: the intro that hooks the room (or clears it), the stage fright that turns your brain to static, the patter that makes people lean in instead of check their phones. We'll dig into pre-show intention-setting, reading a room, genuinely connecting with an audience that didn't necessarily come to see you (yet), and building a set that fits the actual gig you're playing...not the one in your head.
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The online version is a lively discussion and Q&A — no mic, no stage, just real talk about what works, what doesn't, and why it matters. Bring your questions, your worst on-stage story, and a sense of humor about it.​​
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Every songwriter hits a wall sometimes. Maybe the chorus won't land, the second verse wandered off to get coffee and never came back, or the song is finished but something still feels a little off. Maybe the writing is going fine and it's the getting it out into the world part that has you stuck.
That's where I come in. In a one-on-one session, we sit down together and work on whatever you need most right now. No judgment, no pressure, and plenty of room for the occasional left turn into lyrical oddity.
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What we can work on:
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Songwriting. Start from scratch, build on a scrap of an idea, or explore new ways into a song.
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Getting unstuck. Writer's block, half-finished drafts, and ideas that won't cooperate. We'll find a way through.
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Polishing a song. Tighten the lyrics, sharpen the hook, and make every line pull its weight.
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Rewriting a song. Sometimes a song needs a new coat of paint. Sometimes it needs a whole new house. We'll figure out which.
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Getting past stage fright. Practical, friendly tools for walking up to the mic and actually enjoying it.
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Finding online open mics. Where to look, how to sign up, and how to make the most of playing to a room full of little screens.
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Promotion basics. Simple, doable ways to get your music heard without losing your mind (or your weekends).
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Getting out of your own way. Quieting the inner critic long enough to let the good stuff through.
Why work with me?
I've been writing and performing for decades, from open mics in Boulder to stages all over Seattle, with five albums along the way. I've been stuck, I've been scared, and I've rewritten songs more times than I'd like to admit. I'd love to help you skip a few of the detours I took (and enjoy the ones worth taking).
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